


Collision

by NewbSombrero



Series: Life is a Highway [2]
Category: Cars (Pixar Movies)
Genre: Butch/Femme, Denial of Feelings, Humanized Cars, Multi, Stuck in Traffic, butch!Mack, mention of homophobic violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24826456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewbSombrero/pseuds/NewbSombrero
Summary: Mack and Lightning are stuck in traffic, and they confront each other about their crushes.
Relationships: Doc Hudson/Lightning McQueen, Sally Carrera/Mack
Series: Life is a Highway [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1744564
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	Collision

3 hours into the traffic jam, Mack decided to ask. “So what’s up with you and Doc?”

“What do you think happened up there to just totally turn I-40 into a parking lot? Gotta be a pretty bad wreck to do that.”

“Yep. They just said over the radio that some driver hauling cat litter fell asleep at the wheel and turned his truck over 3 exits up, and I know you heard that. Really, McQueen, if you’re gonna dodge a question, I expect better from you.” Mack looked over at McQueen. He was a lot more withdrawn than he ever was after a win. He’d been riding back to Radiator Springs in the truck with Mack ever since they set up there after that first Piston Cup last year, and Mack had gotten used to a certain energy from him. This was different, and it wasn’t just the traffic jam. “Seriously, Lightning, what’s going on? You know I’m just trying to look out for you.”

McQueen turned in his seat to face Mack. “What’s up with you and Sally?”

“Okay, see that would be a better deflection if I had any fucking clue what you were talking about. If you don’t wanna talk about it, that’s all you gotta say.”

McQueen laughed, but it wasn’t his usual light-hearted laugh; there was something sharper to it. “Okay, sure Mack. And how many times a week do the two of you get lunch at Flo’s?”

“Because we’re FRIENDS, McQueen! You saying just cause I’m a lesbian I can’t get lunch with another woman unless I’m into her? I would’ve thought you’d know what a fucked up thing that is to suggest.”

“It’s not just that,” Lightning said quietly, “and you know I wouldn’t be like that. I’m also friends with both of you, just in case you forgot that, and I’ve just seen the way the two of you both are around each other, and it’s different, Mack. You both light up when the other one is mentioned or walks into a room or anything like that. Honestly, pretty much everyone in town’s noticed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to physically restrain Mater from asking Sally if the two of you have kissed yet.”

“I swear, one of these days I’m gonna kill that man. Make it look like an accident, but he’ll deserve it! That’s the most ridiculous shit I’ve ever heard, McQueen. Not that I don’t believe you about Mater cause that sounds exactly like him, but Sally’s straight, isn’t she?” Mack felt herself loosen up as she spoke. 

McQueen let out one of the brightest laughs Mack had ever heard from him, the kind the cameras never knew about. “Okay, Mack, I know you can be oblivious sometimes as a defense mechanism or whatever, but really? Have the two of you never talked about her life in California on your lunches? Because I’ve heard a thing or two about her exes, and she’s only mentioned one man, and he hadn’t even realized that about himself yet when they were dating.”

Mack thought about this for a second. If Sally were a lesbian (or even bi; just because she hadn’t told McQueen about any boyfriends didn’t mean anything), that changed how Mack might interpret the way Sally looked at her, or occasionally let their knuckles brush when they both had their hands on the table at Flo’s. Not that it mattered because Mack definitely didn’t think about Sally that way. At least, not when she was being careful. Catching feelings was dangerous, and there was no way Mack had let herself do something stupid like that.

“Okay, sure, let’s say for the sake of argument that Sally does like women. Why does that then mean that she and I would be into each other? It’s not like lesbians just fall in love with each other over the simple fact that they’re both lesbians. There’s got to be more going on, just like with anybody else.”

McQueen sighed. “Do you really think I haven’t seen the way you look at her, Mack? How long have we known each other again? I can tell something’s different with her.”

“And that’s exactly my point with you and Doc!”

McQueen got out of his seat, opened the curtain to the sleeper berth and flopped himself down on the bed there, looking up at the ceiling of the cab. “Okay fine, if I open up about Doc will you open up to me about Sally? You know I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“Sure, fine, just tell me what’s up.” Not that Mack had anything to tell. 

“I can’t stop thinking about him, Mack. I’ve never felt this way before, and it’s kinda scaring me, to be honest. Like, usually I’m into casual shit, but then I met Doc, and KACHOW, I find myself wanting to settle down. I don’t even like PARKING, and this guy has me thinking about what it would be like to wake up next to him every day and make breakfast for him and shit like that. You know that’s not who I am, Mack! So why am I feeling this way? Like, at first I thought it was just hero worship, but that wore off by the time you found me. But when he showed up with everyone from town for that runoff for the Piston Cup, that’s when this woke up in me, I think. Like maybe I could keep this one around for once, and I wasn’t just thinking about a crew chief either. I just don’t know, Mack. I’ve learned so much about racing from him, and also about living, and I feel like if I spent every day of the rest of both our lives with him, I could learn something new.” Mack had her eyes on the road as hotshot back there dealt with the tear leak he’d sprung. “I like the person I’ve been becoming since I met him, Mack.”

She sat with that for a moment, let McQueen have a space of silence in case he had anything else to say. “That’s beautiful, Lightning. Most folks don’t find someone who makes them feel that way, and I think you should shoot your shot.”

Mack heard McQueen sit up in the bed and turn to face her. “But if I crash and burn, do I lose him as my crew chief too? At least this way, with the denial, I get him in my life in an important way. I don’t have to worry about losing him.”

“I hear you, hotshot, but just remember, he ain’t gonna be around forever. Make sure that’s part of your risk assessment too.”

McQueen moved himself back to the passenger seat. “So, what’s your excuse with Sally?”

Mack tensed again. “I don’t know how to make a first move.” She gripped the steering wheel tight even though she literally had the parking brake pulled. No one on this interstate ahead of or behind them was going anywhere. “I mean, when I look the way I do, no one has to guess. If a femme takes a liking to me, she knows, and she can make a move. But if I read a situation wrong and hit on some straight woman by mistake, I’m a freak. I’m that fucking dyke she’s gonna tell her boyfriend about so he can beat my ass for making a pass at her. It’s easier if I just don’t let myself realize I’m interested in anyone who hasn’t shown interest first. If I don’t know I’m feeling something, I don’t have to hurt about her not feeling the same way.”

Lightning leaned in closer. “Oh Mack, I didn’t realize that’s how it was for you.” He sat back in his seat again. “Listen, I’m sorry I pushed like that, okay? I was just scared what would happen if I opened up about Doc. I didn’t stop to think what opening up might do to you.”

“It’s okay, Lightning. I think I needed to. And I think you needed to.” Cars were starting to inch forward farther up the road. “For now, I think we’ve both got some thinking to do.” Mack pushed in the breaks and got ready to move.

**Author's Note:**

> Huge shoutout to objectlesson for the beta read. Her DocMcQueen fics are a huge part of the inspiration for this series, and it means so much to me to have her help on it.
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone for reading! I’m looking forward to giving you more SallyMack content in the future!!!


End file.
